Apparatus and method for arranging a keypad in wireless terminal

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal to conveniently perform a key input in the wireless terminal, the apparatus including: a display unit for displaying the keypad in at least one of a right and left side on a screen of the display unit in a horizontal mode of the wireless terminal; and a controller for controlling the display unit to display the keypad in the right and/or left side on the screen of the display unit in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/669,582 filed on Nov. 6, 2012 which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to a Korean Patent Application filed in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office on Nov. 25, 2011 and assigned Serial No.10-2011-0123964, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method forarranging a keypad in a wireless terminal, and more particularly, to anapparatus and method for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal toconveniently perform a key input in the wireless terminal.

2. Description of the Related Art

When an input mode is performed in a vertical mode (in which a wirelessterminal is placed in a vertical direction), a keypad is displayed onthe bottom of a screen of a display unit, and a key input in the inputmode is performed on the displayed keypad.

Even when the input mode is performed in a horizontal mode (in which thewireless terminal is placed in a horizontal direction), a keypad isdisplayed on the bottom of the screen of the display unit, and a keyinput in the input mode is performed on the displayed keypad.

In the vertical mode of the wireless terminal, because the wirelessterminal is placed in the vertical direction, a significant amount ofscreen area is available above the displayed keypad in order to displayinput contents together with the displayed keypad.

However, in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal, because thewireless terminal is placed in the horizontal direction, the keypad inthe horizontal mode occupies a relatively larger portion of the screenthan when the keypad is in the vertical mode. Therefore, all of inputcontents may not be displayed on the screen. Additionally, it isinconvenient to use keys arranged in the center of the keypad in thehorizontal mode.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an apparatus and method for arranging akeypad in a wireless terminal so as to allow a user to convenientlyperform a key input in the wireless terminal.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus andmethod is provided for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal toconveniently perform a key input while the wireless terminal is in ahorizontal mode of operation.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatusand method is provided for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal soas to allow display of all of input contents on a screen of a displayunit in a horizontal mode of the wireless terminal.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided anapparatus for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal, including: adisplay unit for displaying the keypad in at least one of a right andleft side on a screen of the display unit in a horizontal mode of thewireless terminal; and a controller for controlling the display unit todisplay the keypad in at least one of the right and left side on thescreen of the display unit in the horizontal mode of the wirelessterminal.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda method of arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal, including:switching to a horizontal mode of the wireless terminal; and displayingthe keypad in at least one of a right and left side on a screen of adisplay unit in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal.

When, in accordance with the invention, the keypad of the wirelessterminal in the horizontal mode is displayed in at least one of theright and left side on the screen, a user may conveniently perform a keyinput, while at the same time a vertical area of the screen that isadjacent to the displayed keypad has no keypad display thereon. Thus,the full vertical area of the adjacent portion of the screen isavailable to display input contents thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present inventionwill become more apparent from the following detailed description whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a wireless terminal according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of arranging a keypad inthe wireless terminal, according to an embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B, FIG. 3C and FIG. 3D illustrate keypads of the wirelessterminal, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like referencenumbers are used to refer to like elements throughout the specificationand the drawings. Detailed descriptions of functions and structuresincorporated herein that are well known by those of ordinary skill inthe art may be omitted for clarity and simplicity so as to not obscureappreciation of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a Radio Frequency (RF) unit 123 performs a wirelesscommunication function of the wireless terminal. The RF unit 123includes an RF transmitter for up-converting a frequency of atransmission signal and amplifying the up-converted transmission signaland an RF receiver for low-noise amplifying a received signal anddown-converting a frequency of the amplified received signal. A dataprocessor 120 includes a transmitter for coding and modulating thetransmission signal and a receiver for demodulating and decoding thereceived signal. In other words, the data processor 120 may include amodem and a codec. The codec includes a data codec for processing packetdata and the like, and an audio codec for processing an audio signalsuch as voice. An audio processor 125 plays a received audio signaloutput from the audio codec in the data processor 120 and transfers atransmission audio signal picked up by a microphone to the audio codecin the data processor 120.

A memory 130 may include a program memory and a data memory. The programmemory may store programs for controlling a general operation of thewireless terminal. In addition, the program memory may store programsfor controlling a display unit 160 to display a keypad in a right and/orleft side on a screen in a horizontal mode of the wireless terminal. Thedata memory may temporarily store data generated while the programs areexecuted. In addition, when the horizontal mode of operation of thewireless terminal ends, according to an embodiment of the presentinvention (that is, when the display unit 160 is oriented in thehorizontal direction), the memory 130 may store the keypad in the rightand/or left side on the screen in the horizontal mode.

A controller 110 controls the overall operation of the wirelessterminal.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, during thehorizontal mode of the wireless terminal, the controller 110 controlsthe display unit 160 to display a keypad in the right and/or left sideon the screen of the display unit 160.

In addition, when it is determined that the wireless terminal switchesto an input mode in the horizontal mode, the controller 110 may controlthe display unit 160 to display a keypad in the right and/or left sideon the screen of the display unit 160.

In addition, when the wireless terminal switches to the horizontal mode,the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display a keypadarranged in the right and/or left side on the screen of the display unit160 in accordance with a previous horizontal mode.

When, as noted above, the wireless terminal is in the horizontal mode(that is, the screen is oriented in the horizontal direction) and thekeypad is displayed in a right and/or left side on the screen, a usermay conveniently perform a key input, while at the same time a verticalarea of the screen that is adjacent to the displayed keypad has nokeypad display thereon. Thus, the full vertical area of the adjacentportion of the screen is available to display input contents thereon.

In addition, in accordance with another aspect of the invention, a useris able to control details of how a keypad is arranged in the rightand/or left side on the screen of the display unit 160, as describedbelow.

More specifically, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160to display a keypad divided and arranged on a row basis in the rightand/or left side on the screen of the display unit 160 by movingrow-based keys in accordance with a dragged direction through ahold-and-drag operation performed by a user of the wireless terminal.

In addition, when the hold-and-drag operation occurs for predeterminedrow-based keys of a keypad arranged in the left side on the screen ofthe display unit 160 in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal,the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display thepredetermined held row-based keys in the right side on the screen of thedisplay unit 160 by moving the predetermined held row-based keys to theright (the dragged direction). In this case, the controller 110 maycontrol the display unit 160 to display the predetermined held row-basedkeys in the right side on the screen of the display unit 160 when thedrag operation in the right direction passes over the center line on thescreen.

In addition, when the hold-and-drag operation occurs for predeterminedrow-based keys of a keypad arranged in the left side on the screen ofthe display unit 160 in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal,the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display thepredetermined held row-based keys at a changed position of the keypadarranged in the left side on the screen of the display unit 160 bymoving the predetermined held row-based keys to the left (the draggeddirection).

In addition, when the hold-and-drag operation occurs for predeterminedrow-based keys of a keypad arranged in the right side on the screen ofthe display unit 160 in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal,the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display thepredetermined held row-based keys in the left side on the screen of thedisplay unit 160 by moving the predetermined held row-based keys to theleft (the dragged direction). In this case, the controller 110 maycontrol the display unit 160 to display the predetermined held row-basedkeys in the left side on the screen of the display unit 160 when thedrag operation in the left direction passes over the center line on thescreen.

In addition, when the hold-and-drag operation occurs for predeterminedrow-based keys of a keypad arranged in the right side on the screen ofthe display unit 160 in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal,the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display thepredetermined held row-based keys at a changed position of the keypadarranged in the right side on the screen of the display unit 160 bymoving the predetermined held row-based keys to the right (the draggeddirection).

A camera unit 140 includes a camera sensor for optically capturing imagedata and converting the optically captured image data into an electricalimage signal, and a signal processor for converting the electrical imagesignal into digital data. The camera sensor is assumed herein to be aCharge-Coupled Device (CCD) or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor(CMOS) sensor, and the signal processor may be realized by a DigitalSignal Processor (DSP). The camera sensor and the signal processor maybe realized in an integrated manner or in a separated manner.

An image processor 150 performs Image Signal Processing (ISP) fordisplaying image signals output from the camera unit 140 on the displayunit 160, and the ISP performs functions such as gamma correction,interpolation, spatial variation, image effects, image scaling,Automatic White Balance (AWB), Automatic Exposure (AE), and AutomaticFocusing (AF). The image processor 150 processes the image signalsoutput from the camera unit 140 on a frame basis, and outputs theframe-based image data according to the characteristics and size of thedisplay unit 160. The image processor 150, which includes a video codec,compresses frame image data displayed on the display unit 160 by presetcoding, and restores (or decompresses) the compressed frame image datainto its original frame image data. The video codec may include a JPEGcodec, MPEG4 codec, Wavelet codec, etc. Assuming that the imageprocessor 150 includes an On-Screen Display (OSD) function, thecontroller 110 may control the image processor 150 to output OSD dataaccording to the size of a screen on which the data is displayed.

The display unit 160 displays an image output from the image processor150 and user data output from the controller 110 on a screen. Thedisplay unit 160 may function as an input unit by being realized as atouch screen. In this case, the display unit 160 functioning as theinput unit may display a keypad including the alphanumeric keys forinputting alphanumeric information and function keys for setting variousfunctions.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, thedisplay unit 160 may display a keypad in the right and/or left side on ascreen in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal, and the keypadmay be divided on a row basis. In this case, keys arranged in row-basedkeypads of the keypad may be displayed the same as keys arranged inrow-based keypads of a keypad displayed in a vertical mode of thewireless terminal.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of arranging a keypad in awireless terminal, according to an embodiment of the present invention,and FIGS. 3A to 3D illustrate keypads of the wireless terminal accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2 (and with reference to FIG. 1 for details of theapparatus), in step 201, i.e., in the horizontal mode, in which thewireless terminal is placed in the horizontal direction, if the wirelessterminal switches to the input mode for performing an input operation,the controller 110 detects this in step 202 and proceeds to step 203 todisplay a keypad in the left and/or right side on the screen of thedisplay unit 160.

Alternatively, when it is determined in the input mode of the wirelessterminal that the wireless terminal has been switched to the horizontalmode, the controller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display akeypad in the left and/or right side on the screen of the display unit160 in step 203.

Alternatively, in step 203, the controller 110 may control the displayunit 160 to display a keypad set as default or a keypad arranged in theleft and/or right side on the screen of the display unit 160 inaccordance with a previous horizontal mode.

Thus, when the wireless terminal switches to the horizontal mode, thecontroller 110 may control the display unit 160 to display a keypad ineach of the left and right sides on the screen of the display unit 160,in only the left side on the screen of the display unit 160, or in onlythe right side on the screen of the display unit 160.

The keypad displayed in the left and/or right side on the screen of thedisplay unit 160 may be divided on a row basis, and keys arranged inrow-based keypads of the keypad may be displayed the same as keysarranged in row-based keypads of a keypad displayed in the vertical modeof the wireless terminal.

While the keypad is displayed in the left and/or right side on thescreen of the display unit 160 in step 203, if a hold-and-drag operationoccurs in the right direction for a predetermined one of row-basedkeypads arranged in the left side on the screen, the controller 110detects this in step 204 and proceeds to step 205 to rearrange thekeypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypad to row-basedkeypads arranged in the right side on the screen of the display unit160.

In this case, if the drag operation ends after the predetermined heldrow-based keypad passes over the center of the screen, the controller110 controls the display unit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving thepredetermined held row-based keypad to the leftmost position of therow-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen of thedisplay unit 160.

If the drag operation ends when the predetermined held row-based keypadis placed at a predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged inthe right side on the screen, the controller 110 controls the displayunit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined heldrow-based keypad to a position prior or next to the predetermined one ofthe row-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen at whichthe drag operation ended.

Otherwise, while the keypad is displayed in the left and/or right sideon the screen of the display unit 160 in step 203, if a hold-and-dragoperation occurs in the left direction for a predetermined one of therow-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen, thecontroller 110 detects this and controls the display unit 160 torearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypadto the left so that a position of the predetermined held row-basedkeypad is changed in the row-based keypads arranged in the left side onthe screen of the display unit 160.

In this case, if the drag operation ends when the predetermined heldrow-based keypad is placed at a predetermined one of the row-basedkeypads arranged in the left side on the screen, the controller 110controls the display unit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving thepredetermined held row-based keypad to a position prior or next to thepredetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the left side onthe screen at which the drag operation ended.

Otherwise, while the keypad is displayed in the left and/or right sideon the screen of the display unit 160 in step 203, if a hold-and-dragoperation occurs in the left direction for a predetermined one of therow-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen, thecontroller 110 detects this in step 206 and proceeds to step 207 torearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypadto the row-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen of thedisplay unit 160.

In this case, if the drag operation ends after the predetermined heldrow-based keypad passes over the center of the screen, the controller110 controls the display unit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving thepredetermined held row-based keypad to the rightmost position of therow-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen of the displayunit 160.

If the drag operation ends when the predetermined held row-based keypadis placed at a predetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged inthe left side on the screen, the controller 110 controls the displayunit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined heldrow-based keypad to a position prior or next to the predetermined one ofthe row-based keypads arranged in the left side on the screen at whichthe drag operation ends.

Otherwise, while the keypad is displayed in the left and/or right sideon the screen of the display unit 160 in step 203, if a hold-and-dragoperation occurs in the right direction for a predetermined one of therow-based keypads arranged in the right side on the screen, thecontroller 110 detects this and controls the display unit 160 torearrange the keypad by moving the predetermined held row-based keypadto the right so that a position of the predetermined held row-basedkeypad is changed in the row-based keypads arranged in the right side onthe screen of the display unit 160.

In this case, if the drag operation ends when the predetermined heldrow-based keypad is placed at a predetermined one of the row-basedkeypads arranged in the right side on the screen, the controller 110controls the display unit 160 to rearrange the keypad by moving thepredetermined held row-based keypad to a position prior or next to thepredetermined one of the row-based keypads arranged in the right side onthe screen at which the drag operation ends.

FIG. 3A illustrates row-based keypads A and B arranged in the left sideon the screen of the display unit 160 and row-based keypads C and Darranged in the right side on the screen in the horizontal mode of thewireless terminal.

In FIG. 3A, when a hold-and-drag operation occurs in the left directionfor a predetermined one (C) of the row-based keypads C and D arranged inthe right side on the screen, if the drag operation in the leftdirection ends right after the predetermined held row-based keypad Cpasses over the center line a of the screen, the predetermined held one(C) of the row-based keypads C and D arranged in the right side on thescreen is moved and rearranged to the rightmost position of therow-based keypads A and B arranged in the left side on the screen asshown in FIG. 3B.

In FIG. 3B, when a hold-and-drag operation occurs in the right directionfor a predetermined one (C) of the row-based keypads A, B, and Carranged in the left side on the screen, if the drag operation in theright direction ends right after the predetermined held row-based keypadC passes over the center line a of the screen, and thereafter, whenanother hold-and-drag operation occurs in the right direction for apredetermined one (B) of the row-based keypads A and B arranged in theleft side on the screen, if the drag operation in the right directionends right after the predetermined held row-based keypad B passes overthe center line a of the screen, the predetermined held ones (C and B)of the row-based keypads A, B, and C arranged in the left side on thescreen are moved and rearranged in the moved order to the leftmostposition of the row-based keypad D arranged in the right side on thescreen as shown in FIG. 3C.

In FIG. 3C, when a hold-and-drag operation occurs in the right directionfor a predetermined one (B) of the row-based keypads B, C, and Darranged in the right side on the screen, if the drag operation endswhen the predetermined held row-based keypad B is placed at apredetermined one (C) of the row-based keypads B, C, and D arranged inthe right side on the screen, the predetermined held one (B) of therow-based keypads B, C, and D arranged in the right side on the screenis moved and rearranged to a position next to the predetermined one (C)at which the drag operation ends, as shown in FIG. 3D.

As described above, when an input operation is performed by using akeypad arranged in the left and/or right side on a screen of a displayunit in the horizontal mode of a wireless terminal, all of inputcontents may be perceived on a central vertical portion of the screenthat has no keypad display thereon, which portion of the screen hasabout the same height as the display portion of the screen in thevertical mode of the wireless terminal when a keypad is displayed at thebottom of the screen.

In addition, although only movement of row-based keypads of a keypad hasbeen described in the embodiments of the present invention, movement ofcolumn-based keypads of the keypad may also be likely performed througha hold-and-drag operation.

In addition, although only row-based movement of a keypad has beendescribed in the embodiments of the present invention, an individualcharacter/number assigned to each key of the keypad may also be movedand rearranged to a desired key position of the keypad through ahold-and-drag operation.

As is apparent from the foregoing description, the proposed apparatusand method for arranging a keypad in a wireless terminal, in which akeypad is displayed in a right and/or left side on a screen of a displayunit in the horizontal mode of the wireless terminal, allows a user toconveniently perform a key input in the horizontal mode of the wirelessterminal, while at the same time leaving a vertical area of the screenthat is adjacent to the displayed keypad, which vertical area has nokeypad display thereon, so that the full vertical area of the screen isavailable to display input contents thereon.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference tocertain exemplary embodiments, such as a wireless terminal, thereof, itwill be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes inform and details may be made therein without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims and theirequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic device, comprising: a displayincluding a touch screen; a memory; and at least one processorelectrically connected to the display and the memory, the at least oneprocessor configured to: control the display to display a plurality ofkeys on a first area of the touch screen; detect a first inputassociated with the plurality of keys to the touch screen; and when thefirst input includes a drag input moving in a first direction, move atleast one column of keys or at least one row of keys in the firstdirection according to the drag input.
 2. The electronic device of claim1, wherein when the first direction is a horizontal direction, the atleast one column of keys is moved in the horizontal direction accordingto the drag input.
 3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein when thefirst direction is a vertical direction, the at least one row of keys ismoved in the horizontal direction according to the drag input.
 4. Amethod in an electronic device comprising: controlling a display todisplay a plurality of keys on a first area of a touch screen of thedisplay; detect a first input associated with the plurality of keys tothe touch screen, controlling to move the plurality of keys toward afirst direction; and when the first input includes a drag input movingin a first direction, move at least one column of keys or at least onerow of keys in the first direction according to the drag input.
 5. Themethod of claim 4, wherein when the first direction is a horizontaldirection, the at least one column of keys is moved in the horizontaldirection according to the drag input.
 6. The method of claim 4, whereinwhen the first direction is a vertical direction, the at least one rowof keys is moved in the horizontal direction according to the draginput.
 7. An electronic device, comprising: a display including a touchscreen; a memory; and at least one processor electrically connected tothe display and the memory, the at least one processor configured to:when the electronic device is disposed in a vertical mode such that thetouch screen is oriented vertically, display a plurality of keys to abottom area of the vertically oriented touch screen, detect a transitionfrom the vertical mode to a horizontal mode; and when the electronicdevice is disposed in the horizontal mode such that the touch screen isoriented horizontally, display a plurality of keys to a bottom area ofthe horizontally oriented touch screen such that the plurality of keysare aligned to a left edge of the touch screen, or a right edge of thetouch screen.
 8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the at leastone processor is further configured to: detect a particular input to theplurality of keys, when the plurality of keys are aligned to the leftedge, move at least a portion of the plurality of keys to the right edgein response to the particular input, and when the plurality of keys arealigned to the right edge, move at least a portion of the plurality ofkeys to the left edge in response to the particular input.
 9. Theelectronic device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of keys aredisplayed to a bottom area of the horizontally oriented touch screensuch that the plurality of keys are aligned to only the left and bottomedges of the touch screen, or only the right and bottom edges of thetouch screen.
 10. A method in an electronic device, comprising: when theelectronic device is disposed in a vertical mode so that a touch screenof the electronic device is oriented vertically, displaying a pluralityof keys to a bottom area of the vertically oriented touch screen,detecting a transition from the vertical mode to a horizontal mode, andwhen the electronic device is disposed in the horizontal mode so thatthe touch screen is oriented horizontally, display a plurality of keysto a bottom area of the horizontally oriented touch screen such that theplurality of keys are aligned to a left edge of the touch screen, or aright edge of the touch screen.
 11. The method of claim 10, furthercomprising: detecting a particular input to the plurality of keys; whenthe plurality of keys are aligned to the left edge, moving at least aportion of the plurality of keys to the right edge in response to theparticular input; and when the plurality of keys are aligned to theright edge, moving at least a portion of the plurality of keys to theleft edge in response to the particular input.
 12. The method of claim10, wherein the plurality of keys are displayed to a bottom area of thehorizontally oriented touch screen such that the plurality of keys arealigned to only the left and bottom edges of the touch screen, or onlythe right and bottom edges of the touch screen.